Sicilian Restaurant Damaged By Fire
Photographs and Story by Dwight Hayes
www.arab-today.com
Firefighters begin clean up operations after stopping a Christmas tree fire that caused fire and heavy smoke damage to the Sicilian Italian Restaurant Sunday afternoon. Arab Today photo by Dwight Hayes
A small branch and one half melted ornament were all that was left of a Christmas tree that started a fire in the Sicilian Restaurant. Arab Today photo by Dwight Hayes
The ceiling of the rear dining room was heavily damaged by the blaze. A table and a portion of the bar cabinet was also heavily damaged. Arab Today photo by Dwight Hayes
Charred debris covers the floor of the rear dining room. The walls of the entire restaurant were damaged by the heavy smoke and heat from the blaze. Arab Today photo by Dwight Hayes
December 26,
2010
A fire caused by lights on a live cut Christmas tree, damaged the Sicilian
Italian Restaurant at 222 North Main Street Sunday afternoon. Firefighters
were called to the restaurant around 3:40 pm. Although firefighters were
able to quickly bring the fire under control, the building received heavy
smoke and heat damage to walls and fixtures. The fire itself was contained
to an area of the rear dining room near the bar. Portions of the drop
ceiling, a table holding the tree, and a portion of the bar were destroyed
by the blaze.
Restaurant owner Christos Drakopoulos said everything was fine when the restaurant closed at 2 pm. "I was at home when of my employees called and said the fire department was at the restaurant. I called my son Chris and rushed to the restaurant to find this."
One small unburned limb, a half melted ornament, and a burned string of lights was all that was left of the Christmas tree. The restaurant will be closed for several days for repair and cleanup. 12/26/2010